February 17, 2011

Chico and Emanuel go negative in mayor race

Mayoral candidate Gery Chico today refused to backtrack under pressure over remarks at a union rally for Chico in which a labor boss called Rahm Emanuel a “Wall Street Judas” for supporting the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Chico said he would not repudiate the comments made by Jim Sweeney, president of Operating Engineers Local 150.

“I was in the room when Jim Sweeney made that comment. And I heard what Jim Sweeney said, and his point was that Rahm Emanuel is a traitor to the working men and women of this city through his actions,” Chico said. “And he stands behind that statement and I do too.”

Mayor Richard Daley today joined several other political players who have said the remark was anti-Semitic. Daley said it was a “disgrace” and that Chico, who once served as Daley’s chief of staff, should renounce the comments.

Tribune polls show Chico with the best chance to keep Emanuel from getting enough of a majority in Tuesday's election to avoid a runoff, and the tone of their race has taken a nasty turn. All the major candidates in the race faced each other for the last time tonight at a debate on WLS-TV, but the remark did not come up.

Chico is airing a TV spot that contrasts his Back of the Yards upbringing with Emanuel’s suburban childhood, the latest shot in an increasingly negative battle between the two rivals with less than a week before Tuesday's election.

On Tuesday, Emanuel attacked Chico’s endorsement by a tea party group in automated phone calls to Latino-speaking households, hoping to cut into Chico’s support base. Chico has rejected the endorsement.

That same day, Sweeney introduced Chico as the guest of honor at the union rally. Sweeney talked of the economic troubles for union families and blamed Emanuel for his role in passing NAFTA before leaving the Clinton White House to make more than $16 million as an investment banker.

“Rahm Emanuel doesn’t live it,” Sweeney said. “He’s nothing but a Wall Street Judas, with a bag of silver he collected when he went and passed NAFTA. That’s exactly what he is, and he’s going to come here and tell us what to do.” You can see the video here.

Emanuel’s campaign made sure reporters were aware of the comments before an Emanuel press event Wednesday, so he would be prompted to address it. While Emanuel, who is Jewish, did not call the comment anti-Semitic, he said he believes voters will understand the “connotation.”

“I have absolute confidence the people of the city of Chicago will see this comment for what it is and reject the values behind it and the ugliness behind it,” Emanuel said.

Over the years, “Judas” has been used by some as an anti-Jewish characterization in trying to describe an individual who would do anything for money.

Sweeney declined to discuss the matter today and a spokesman referred reporters to a statement from the union leader.

“My comments were in no way intended as anti-Semitic. Some of my heroes and mentors in the American Labor Movement, men like Samuel Gompers, the founder of the American Labor Movement, are of Jewish descent,” Sweeney said in the statement on the union website. “The reference that I made to Rahm Emanuel as a “Judas” was solely intended to liken him to one of the great traitors in history.”

At an airport news conference today, Daley said “definitely, yes” when reporters asked if he thought Sweeney's comment was anti-Semitic.

“To refer to someone because of their ethnic or religious heritage, yes, it doesn’t matter who they are. We don’t refer to people dealing with their religious or ethnic origin,” Daley said. “We do not do that. That is unacceptable.”

When asked if Chico should disavow the comment, Daley said, “everybody should refute it.”

“I think it’s a disgrace. I know people of all ethnic origins on Wall Street. Are they referring to them in that capacity? I think it’s wrong for a campaign,” Daley said. “That lowers the campaign for the city of Chicago. It’s a disgrace.”

But Chico, whose ex-wife is Jewish and whose three daughters were raised in the Jewish faith, fired back at the mayor.

“Mayor Daley knows better about me. Mayor Daley was at my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah. He knows where I come from. And I think rather than kindle a fire here in a situation, he ought to try to bring a measured response and take this issue where it belongs,” Chico said.

Asked whether Daley’s remarks were calculated to keep the issue alive to help Emanuel’s candidacy, Chico grew more agitated and raised his voice at the lectern.

“Let’s hope that someone would not use this situation, and a division among religions, for political gain. That would be very, very bad. That would be a low point in politics,” Chico said.

Although it was the first time Daley spoke out in no uncertain terms against a campaign, he has previously made comments that could be viewed as unfavorable to Chico and his effort to replace Daley.

When Chico criticized the progress of school reform, the mayor said Chico never mentioned those concerns to him, and Daley also said the requirement that city workers live in the city should be maintained after Chico said he was willing to discuss the issue.

In the meantime, Chico's campaign says they will spend $600,000 to run their TV ad on Emanuel through the election.

In the ad, a sweater-clad Chico says his family lived “paycheck to paycheck, knowing the heartbreak of violence,” as he looks directly into the camera. “Rahm grew up in suburban safety and privilege -- maybe that’s why Rahm has a plan that hits our working families with the largest sales tax in history.”

With limited details from Emanuel about which "luxury" services would be included in his proposed expansion of the sales tax, Chico has filled the void and made exaggerated claims about the potential cost to taxpayers. Emanuel has proposed cutting the city's portion of the sales tax from 1.25 percent to 1 percent, in exchange for adding luxury services.

“Instead of outlining his vision for the city and his plans to meet the challenges we face, he resorts to personal attacks against Rahm for growing up in another neighborhood,” said Ben LaBolt, an Emanuel spokesman.

Emanuel is also trying to tamp down a simmering controversy about his position on what he’d do with the city’s pension system if he’s elected. In a personal letter distributed this week, Emanuel said he’d bring “all parties to the table” to solve the problem.

But the letter itself caused a stir because it was sent to the homes of some city employees who questioned how Emanuel’s campaign got their home addresses, which are kept secret by the city. Chico and Carol Moseley Braun raised the same questions today at separate press conferences.

LaBolt, though, said the campaign didn’t have a secret list of city employees. It had a list of registered voters. He said “thousands” of the letters, dated Feb. 12, were sent out and thousands more will in coming days to get Emanuel’s message about pension to voters.

UPDATED by Kristen Mack and David Heinzmann at 1:47 p.m. with criticism of "Judas" comment about Emanuel.; originally posted at 8:05 a.m.

Mayoral candidate Gery Chico is airing a TV spot that contrasts his Back of the Yards upbringing with Rahm Emanuel’s suburban childhood, the latest shot in an increasingly negative battle between the two rivals with less than a week before Tuesday's election.

At the same time, Chico is under pressure over remarks at a union rally by a labor boss who called Emanuel a "Wall Street Judas" for supporting the North American Free Trade Agreement. Mayor Richard Daley today said the remark was anti-Semitic and a "disgrace."

Tribune polls show Chico with the best chance to keep Emanuel from getting enough of a majority in Tuesday's election to avoid a runoff, and the tone of their race has taken a nasty turn. All the major candidates in the race face each other for the last time tonight at a debate on WLS-TV.

On Tuesday, Emanuel attacked Chico's endorsement by a tea party group in automated phone calls to Latino-speaking households, hoping to cut into Chico's support base. Chico has rejected the endorsement.

That same day, Chico was introduced as the guest of honor at a union rally by Jim Sweeney, president of Operating Engineers Local 150, who talked of the economic troubles for union families and blamed Emanuel for his role in passing NAFTA.

“Rahm Emanuel doesn’t live it,” Sweeney said. “He’s nothing but a Wall Street Judas, with a bag of silver he collected when he went and passed NAFTA. That’s exactly what he is, and he’s going to come here and tell us what to do.” You can see the video here.

Emanuel’s campaign made sure reporters were aware of the comments before a press event Wednesday, so he would be prompted to address it. While Emanuel, who is Jewish, did not call the comment anti-Semitic, he said he believes voters will understand the “connotation.”

“I have absolute confidence the people of the city of Chicago will see this comment for what it is and reject the values behind it and the ugliness behind it,” Emanuel said.

Chico thanked Sweeney for the introduction at the rally and his campaign defended the remark after Emanuel's comments Wednesday.

Chico spokeswoman Brooke Anderson said the Merriam-Webster definition of Judas, is “traitor: one who betrays under the guise of friendship." She added that Emanuel's reaction was "cynical, it's wrong and it's certainly not mayoral, but given Rahm Emanuel's history of divisive attacks to grow his power, it comes as no surprise."

Sweeney declined to discuss the matter today and a spokesman referred reporters to a statement from the union leader.

“My comments were in no way intended as anti-Semitic. Some of my heroes and mentors in the American Labor Movement, men like Samuel Gompers, the founder of the American Labor Movement, are of Jewish descent,” Sweeney said in the statement on the union website. “The reference that I made to Rahm Emanuel as a “Judas” was solely intended to liken him to one of the great traitors in history.”

At an airport news conference today, Daley said "definitely, yes" when reporters asked if he thought Sweeney's comment was anti-Semitic.

“To refer to someone because of their ethnic or religious heritage, yes, it doesn’t matter who they are. We don’t refer to people dealing with their religious or ethnic origin," Daley said. "We do not do that. That is unacceptable.”

Chico served as Daley’s chief of staff and has long been one of the mayor’s problem solvers. When asked if Chico should disavow the comment, Daley said, “everybody should refute it.”

“I think it’s a disgrace. I know people of all ethnic origins on Wall Street. Are they referring to them in that capacity? I think it’s wrong for a campaign,” Daley said. “That lowers the campaign for the city of Chicago. It’s a disgrace.”

Although it was the first time Daley spoke out in no uncertain terms against a campaign, he has previously made comments that could be viewed as unfavorable to Chico and his effort to replace Daley.

When Chico criticized the progress of school reform, the mayor said Chico never mentioned those concerns to him, and Daley also said the requirement that city workers live in the city should be maintained after Chico said he was willing to discuss the issue.

In the meantime, Chico's campaign says they will spend $600,000 to run their TV ad on Emanuel through the election.

In the ad, a sweater-clad Chico says his family lived “paycheck to paycheck, knowing the heartbreak of violence,” as he looks directly into the camera. “Rahm grew up in suburban safety and privilege -- maybe that’s why Rahm has a plan that hits our working families with the largest sales tax in history.”

With limited details from Emanuel about which "luxury" services would be included in his proposed expansion of the sales tax, Chico has filled the void and made exaggerated claims about the potential cost to taxpayers. Emanuel has proposed cutting the city's portion of the sales tax from 1.25 percent to 1 percent, in exchange for adding luxury services.

“Instead of outlining his vision for the city and his plans to meet the challenges we face, he resorts to personal attacks against Rahm for growing up in another neighborhood,” said Ben LaBolt, an Emanuel spokesman.

Comments

It appears the Chico campaign is using racist rhetoric to push Chicago back to the 1960's. Mr. Chico would be smart to distance himself from these comments the sooner the better. What is taking so long?

In response to the specific comment from Jim Sweeney of the Operating Engineers calling Emanuel a Judas, I as a Jew take offense to the calling anyone Judas. I dont care what the Dictionary says, the reference to a Jew as Judas is repugnant. As Sweeney eludes to, Jews throughout history have been strong proponents of the Labor movement and have not deserted Labor, yet. However, Sweeney risks that desertion without apologizng for his remark. He could have criticized Emanuel's support for NAFTA in a more effective way without using the inflammatory portrayal
of Emanuel as Judas.
As for Chico, his constantly referring to his three Jewish daughters as defense of why he shouldn't criticize Sweeney's remarks is as big a turn off to Jews as Sweeney's saying that he has friends that are Jewish. At this point, Chico should disavow the remarks made by Sweeney and Sweeney should apologize to the Jewish community for making the remarks in the first place.
At this point, if Chico has any hopes for geting some of the Jewish vote, he needs to do damage control.

1. a : the apostle who in the Gospel accounts betrayed Jesus
b : a son of James and one of the twelve apostles
2: traitor; especially : one who betrays under the guise of friendship
Synonyms: apostate, backstabber, betrayer, double-crosser, double-dealer, traitor, quisling, recreant, serpent, snake, turncoat

Yes, Judas was Jewish, Judas was also a traitor. Sweeney was stating that Emanuel is a traitor - or as Webster's states: a Judas. Rahm Emanuel is Jewish - so what, he can also be called a Judas by anyone who thinks he's a traitor. I have heard people of all creeds called a Judas.

The dumbest possible thing that union leadership could have done with one week left before the election is to back a candidate (Chico) who is 35 points behind in the race! No wait! What is even dumber is to make the leading candidate (Rahmbo) even madder by insulting his religion and putting Chico even further down in the polls. People do dumb things when their scared witless. I said witless.
Now Rahm owes the unions nothing and that is what they can expect, if they're lucky.

Let's be clear here. There is absolutely no doubt that most of the unions are simply a scourge on the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois. Without all these unions and their sleazy reps, our state and city would be in much better fiscal shape.

All 50 aldermen on the Chicago City Council had to file paperwork earlier this year detailing their outside income and gifts. The Tribune took that ethics paperwork and posted the information here for you to see. You can search by ward number or alderman's last name.

The Cook County Assessor's office has put together lists of projected median property tax bills for all suburban towns and city neighborhoods. We've posted them for you to get a look at who's paying more and who's paying less.

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